Looking to boost the region’s blood supply, the state Department of Health is allowing 16-year-olds to donate blood for the first time if they have parental consent, the New York Blood Center announced yesterday.

The pilot program, launched this month at nine Long Island and Queens high schools, has already been successful.

Donations increased at those schools by 53 percent – with 16-year-olds accounting for 31 percent of that amount raised, the center said.

“We estimate that 16-year-olds could contribute up to 10,000 blood donations each year, helping New York Blood Center reduce its chronic blood shortage and get closer to our goal of self-sufficiency,” said Dr. Robert Jones, the center’s president.

The center, the nation’s largest nonprofit, community-based blood center, serves both New York and New Jersey and has to import around 50,000 pints of blood annually from other U.S. blood centers to meet demand for local transfusions.

Six other states, including California and Illinois, allow 16-year-olds to donate blood.

The center will discuss next month how to roll out the program to area donations centers, said center spokeswoman Linda Levi.

Donations during the spring season are very important as donations trail off in summer, Levi said.

“We certainly need each and every donation,” said Levi. “These donations will be very helpful.”

Dozens of other schools in Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Yonkers, Bedford, and Nassau and Suffolk counties have already signed up for blood drives, and Manhattan schools are not far behind, Levi said.

High schools interested in holding an onsite blood drive should call 1-800-933-BLOOD.

Anyone older than 16 looking to give blood can call the above number as well or visit nybloodcenter.org.

Center officials said donors must be in good health and weigh at least 110 pounds.

Every donor will be tested for viral diseases, center officials said. Abnormal test results for 16-year-olds will be sent to their parents or guardians, center officials added.